Miloko
Miloko is a mysterious native city located deep in the Sabo Jungles. Far to the east, in possibly the least accessible boundary of Gtalsifom, rises an impenetrable, mountainous formation of weathered limestone. Weird and alien in appearance, its spires shoot up in jagged serrations of weathered gray stone, angrily jabbing skyward. Leafy shrubtrees cling tenaciously to the rock in small, craggy pockets, while larger trees and tangled vines climb from deep, water-torn ravines. Within this harsh and desolate realm flourishes one of the Sabo Jungle's most vilified people, the Kitoma. Inside these spires they've carved and crafted the enigmatic city of Miloko, a wonder of haphazard, incomplete architecture and twisted evil. Little is known of the chaotic history of Miloko, as few ever pass near its walls and live to tell the tale, and its successive chieftains make a habit of destroying the works of their predecessors and replacing them with their own. As leaders rise and fall, they carve and re-carve the facades of their stone structures, changing histories and events to reflect their own needs, power, and status. Rarely do historic structures last beyond a few centuries or escape alteration and defacement. Even fewer written works exist; most Kitoma history passes on through stories and tales, each subject to the whim and intention of the teller. In recent years, intertribal tensions have escalated, spawning separatist settlements within the main city. Governed by individual chieftains, these smaller communities grow independently and thus prove more sustainable. As the political structure continues to divide, Miloko is transforming into something more akin to a small republic. Initial observations might imply that the division of Kitoma society decreases its overall threat. Yet should tribal bickering ever lead to the city's dissolution, the tribes might leave their traditional home and move into more populated regions, with disastrous results. The City Miloko's outer structures are slapdash constructions, a conglomerate of salvage, scrap wood, and crudely carved limestone. High atop the rocky crags, wooden huts perch upon flats and notches. These are connected to each other via rope bridges, ladders, and zip lines. Far more impressive are the caves within the crags themselves—ancient and partially worked into grand, strangely shaped chambers and caverns by forces clearly predating the Kitoma. Who or what initially created these subterranean temples is anyone's guess. As is the way with the Kitoma, the city is filthy. The savage inhabitants discard their refuse into the gorges between peaks, leaving them littered with bones, offal, and other waste. These canals of carrion attract a variety of scavengers including botflies and other vermin, hyenas, and vultures. However, the Kitoma view their presence as beneficial, as unlike most tribes, they have no taboos against eating scavengers. Tribes Lacking formal government, Miloko's populace is composed of clusters of tribes living in close proximity. Tribes interact as necessary, trading or even intermarrying during times of prosperity. During times of scarcity, however, they are known to war upon one another and even to engage in inter-tribal cannibalism. Even within tribes, a good deal of infighting and backstabbing exists. Those claiming leadership live short lives and are usually dethroned within a few months. Power shifts daily, and alliances are worth little. Currently, four primary tribes maintain a precariously balanced hold over the city. While each of their leaders aspires to control the entire territory, their uncertain alliance has brought their tribes great strength and wealth. Combined, they are able to execute organized caravan raids and have grown bold enough to raid and plunder a few small villages. The four over-tribes include the Chakmoko, the Eskibola, the Mioke, and the Govombe. Currently, Miloko's two most powerful tribes, the Govombe and the Chakmoko, maintain a tenuous truce following several violent riots and an assassination attempt on chief Molikoselbe. Tensions began after a marriage of convenience between Molikoselbe and Tamihanta (the sister of Vugombol, chief of the Chakmoko) ended tragically. Initially, the marriage unified the two tribes, but after Tamihanta failed to conceive children, Molikoselbe slew and ate her. During the resulting riots, the lesser tribes collaborated to snatch any opportunities they could to gain power, wealth, and opportunity. To prevent further loses, the two chieftains have since set aside their grudges and now hold a temporary truce. Tribal Districts Though many parts of the city are held in common, maintained for the Kitoma people as a whole by unspoken agreement between tribes, certain districts within Miloko are ruled exclusively by their individual tribes, and members of other factions must tread carefully within their borders. The cavernous defiles of Gesem belong to the Chakmoko, the spires of Isembal belong to the Eskibola, the bridges and cliffs of Mareskeb belong to the Mioke, and the district of Uggamal belongs to the Govombe. Category:Locations Category:Settlements Category:Small Cities Category:Settlements in the Sabo Jungles Category:Locations in Gtalsifom Category:Locations in the Sabo Jungles